Category: historical-fiction
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Sovereign by C.J. Sansom is the third book of seven in his Matthew Shardlake Mysteries series. After having been a bit disappointed with Dark Fire, Sovereign puts the series right back on track to my liking. At almost 700 pages, I found myself quite surprised, yet once again, at how fast I devoured it in…
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Dark Fire by C.J. Sansom is the second book of seven in the Matthew Shardlake mysteries series. I had a blast with Absolution, and so I expect similar results with Dark Fire. The novel plays in a very similar light in that our main detective is once again commissioned by none other than Thomas Cromwell,…
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Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See is an historical fiction set in the late 15th century China during the Ming dynasty. Having shelved this novel for far too long, I am so glad I finally got the chance to read it. It is a beautifully written novel regarding Tan Yunxian, a woman born…
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The Abbot’s Tale by Conn Iggulden is a remarkable novel regarding the life of a monk named Dunstan between the middle and end of the 10th century within England. Although labeled as a historical fiction piece of work, there was actually a monk in that period named Dunstan whose adventures, scheming and actions have in…
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World Without End by Ken Follet is the second of five novels in his popular Kingsbridge series. We are once again transported back to Kingsbridge, but 200 years later. Pillars of the Earth was a joy to read, and its sequel here follows the exact same formula, so I’m not expecting different results. Sure enough,…
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Haven by Emma Donoghue is a survival novel set in around the seventh century around Ireland. I don’t believe I’ve read any survival novels such as this one, which is set so far back in time. The closest would like be the movie Cast Away by Tom Hanks. Being that one of my goals for…
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Dissolution by CJ Sansom is the first of seven in his Matthew Shardlake Mysteries series. Set in the mid-16th century, amid the backdrop of the Church Reformation era, we follow lawyer Matthew Shardlake to St. Donatus monastery to investigate the murder of a fellow Commissioner of the King. As usual, nothing is as it seems,…
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Byzantium by Stephen Lawhead is a historical fiction novel which, simply put, is absolutely amazing. Set around 900 CE, it revolves around a group of monks in modern day Ireland. Wanting to present one of their most lavish gifts created to the emperor in Constantinople, a pilgrimage was required. Thus are we introduced to Aidan…
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The Light on Farallon Island by Jen Wheeler is the author’s debut historical fiction novel set on a tiny island thirty miles off the coast of San Francisco. Taking place around the mid 1800s, we follow Lucy Riley on her journey to the island in answer to a teaching post for the few children there.…
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The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister details the fictional account of an all woman crew sent on an arctic expedition over uncharted waters to discover the fate of one man and his now presumed lost boating crew. Set in the mid 1800’s, it highlights how women of the time were afforded less rights than men…
The Mindless Catalog 